Marvel Agents of Shield: Umbra I & II
by baaleos
Summary: After the events on Maveth, Coulson and the team never expected to literally run into an alien on their night off. Eric a Nictus hiding out on Earth for the last 700 years finds himself torn between a life with Shield and staying forever on the run to avoid meeting the same fate as the rest of his people...slaughtered at the hands of the Asgardians.
1. Chapter 1

Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.  
Umbra: Part 1

Author Note The following story is a piece of Fan Fiction that encompasses elements from the Discontinued MMORPG City of Heroes, and the ever popular Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.  
There is a certain irony in that, since Marvel did actually lodge a law suit with Cryptic, over the game allowing players to create Marvel Heroes.  
That being said this fan fiction assumes a universe where the two can coexist.

Prior to this Story The Kheldian race are considered a mythical race, however they are currently extinct, wiped out at the hands of the Nictus. The Nictus are for lack of a better term Vampire Kheldian who feed off life energy to sustain their own short life span. Kheldian were somewhat pacifists, while Nictus were considered the bane of the void. After the Kheldian race were wiped out, the Nictus started spreading to other worlds. Some of those worlds, as fate would have it, were under the protection of Asgard. During this time, Asgard was ruled by perhaps Odin s Father or Grandfather, it matters not who was king, and all that mattered was that the Nictus were spreading like a cancer throughout the stars, until the Asgardians started to battle them back into a corner.

This war was called the Great Purge . When the great purge came to an end, the Asgard forces had captured the final Nictus, and sentenced it to death. Realizing that condemning the last Nictus to death would be effectively ending the Kheldian race as well, a sympathetic Asgardian scientist intervened and smuggled the Nictus out of Asgard in a Shadow Cyst crystal. She made the Nictus promise to make the most of the new life it was going to be given and to be better than its ancestors. The Nictus in this story, is an entity that calls itself Azazeel. After an undisclosed period of time, perhaps twenty years, or maybe two thousand years, the Shadow Cyst is found, as fate would have it, by a Viking of all people. This Viking his name A'rich.  
Thinking the Cyst is just a pretty form of Quartz, he keeps it on his person, until his untimely death at the end of a sword. The blood from his injury unlocking the cyst, and awakening the Nictus presence within.

Staying true to the promise it made to the Asgardian woman, instead of forcibly taking a host, he offered the dying warrior a new life, where they would share much of themselves in a symbiotic relationship. In exchange for new life, the Warrior would accept the Nictus as part of himself and together they would live normal lives.  
While the warrior is somewhat intoxicated with his new found powers, the Nictus inside advises him to keep a low profile, as the Asgardians can never be alerted to their presence on Earth.

A'rich and Azazeel merge and become a single entity, taking the name Eric as the ages come and go.  
In order to survive, Eric would regularly feed on the vitality of strangers, but always left them alive if he could. This in turn gave rise to the legends of vampires and other vitality draining creatures. Eric travelled throughout Europe and to the new world, America , where in the twentieth Century, feeding is even easier with the creation of night clubs and bars where it is like a meat market.

Night Clubs buzzing with people who are happy to go home with someone who's last name they don't know, and the side effects from being drained of a little vitality are very similar to the common hang-over.  
So what s not to like.

 **The Battle of New-York**

Well, when a big hole in the Sky opens up over New York, Aliens are attacking the City, you want to fight back except you can t for fear of being discovered or observed by a peeping tom Asgardian called Heimdall.  
To make things worse, Thor is flying around New York swinging his hammer - Asgardian alert! Flashbacks to that day when you were almost executed.  
Its best to let the Asgardians think your race is dead, if they knew that you were alive, they would swarm the earth to find and kill you.  
Fate however, has other plans.

You aren't too afraid of the invasion forces in New York, because you can just teleport away from them. You just have to do it discretely that is.  
E.g.: Walk down an alley way, then poof, your gone.  
Well, that's what Eric intended...

He walks around the corner, then hears explosions behind him.  
Turning to see what was happening, Eric looks up and sees a huge mechanical whale, crashing into a building.  
The alien invaders then jumped down, into the alley that Eric was in .  
Getting ready to teleport away and say See Ya... Eric then noticed that the Aliens were rounding up civilians, preparing to execute them.

Eric had two bad choices here.

1\. Let the aliens kill them, and then teleport away See Ya

Or 2. Help the humans, but reveal himself...

Option 1 was very tempting, however Eric remembered that promise he made many years before.  
Be better than his ancestors...  
Knowing that the Guns the Aliens didn't pose much threat to Eric, he wandered over to the civilians.

While he may not have been able to understand the Aliens explicitly, the hand cues from their commanding officer giving the order to fire was pretty obvious.  
Waiting just for the right moment, Eric deployed an energy shield which effectively sapped the energy projectiles from the weapons.  
They just floated into the energy shield he deployed and kind of fizzled out like some dud firecracker.

Eric smiled as the Aliens looked to each other trying to figure out what happened  
'Nothing personal guys'

Eric smiles as his eyes start to glow a sinister purple glow.  
Eric unleashed beams of Umbral Energy from his eyes, beams of pure darkness that just drained the life from anything they touch.  
Each Alien who was hit let out a terrible cry as they realized this was probably the wrong alley way to stumble into. Although, in hindsight, given that the Avengers eventually killed them all anyway it wouldn't have made much difference.

Eric however knew he made a difference, he saved a group of survivors that day.  
'Get to safety!' Eric said to the Survivors, as he pushed them into one of the building exits.  
Now that there was no one watching, Eric figured it was safe to teleport away.  
His eyes glowing a violet colour, as he closes his eyes briefly to think about his destination. The wind around him starts to pick up as air rushes in to the vortex he was forming. Within a second, the whooshing sound ended in a Popping sound as reality itself seemed to bend and flex back into shape. Eric was now gone.

It's a year later, and Eric has not been pursued by authorities, Asgardians, Shield, military or journalists. Long story short, he figures he is safe to continue living his life in New York, after all it s a sweet place to live for a guy who needs to feed on the life force of people.  
Keeping up to date with the news, Eric always feels uneasy when he sees mention of Thor . He saw him in the newspapers over in England, saving the World from Maleketh and his Dark Elves, and then again more recently in Sokovia.  
Life seems fine, so why change a good thing. That's what Eric is thinking, but in the back of his mind, he knows he probably shouldn't stay in one place too long, he's been running for 700 years for a reason.

 **CCTV is a bitch**

Meanwhile - Shield or Asgard may not know about the Nictus being on Earth, Hydra however heard the rumors of the hero alien in that alley, and got exclusive access to the Security Camera footage of the area. They have been looking for the Alien for the last 6 months. Whether they want to recruit him, dissect him and replicate his powers... only they know.  
While Eric is unaware that they are looking for him, would they ever think to look for him in a Night Club?

 **The Return from Maveth**

It s just after the events on the Planet Maveth, Coulson has just returned from the planet with his team intact. In order to take the attention of himself and distance himself from Fitz who witnessed him killing Ward in cold blood on the planet, the Director has insisted that everyone get some much needed time off. The only condition is that everyone has to stick together for their own safety.  
Daisy Johnson and Lincoln Campbell, who are now a bit of an item, decide to head out to a club in New York - they drag rookie Joey Gutierrez along. It s the first time he has been out of the Cocoon, the shield training facility, since going through Transition.

Joey is still on a bit of a high from the operation they were on, he jumped in front of 3 bullets meant for Daisy, and turned them to liquid with his power - ' _Hey, I m bulletproof!_ ' He sometimes exclaims now at the end of a sentence.

Heading out with Daisy and Lincoln sounded like a good idea at the time, but he soon started to feel like a third wheel - the love birds probably thought they were doing him a favor bringing him out, but eventually after a few drinks he kind of started drifting away from the group.  
In the same club, was none other than our friendly Nictus Eric. He was doing his usual - scanning the crowd looking for a snack. That s when he saw Joey, Lincoln and Daisy walking in. They were giving off weird energy that wasn't quite human. He was curious, because he had never encountered it before. Were these aliens from another planet? Extra-terrestrial refugees like himself?

He didn't want to approach Daisy and Lincoln, because well... there were two of them - but he spotted Joey standing near the bar on his own. He thought he could try and find out more about him through a classic tactic.

'Whoooopssss!' He exclaimed - as he spilled his drink over Joeys sleeve...  
'Ah... crap... .. Sorry... I didn't mean to...'

Joey, a little annoyed - and kind of wanting out of the awkward situation,  
'Its ok, im fine - don't worry about it...'  
Joey flicking his wrist as he tries to dry his hand.

'I'm really sorry about that . Eric to Joey  
'I m Eric... What are you?' - Eric says with a curious look on his face, like he is interrogating Joey.  
Knowing full well that the question would probably be weird for a human to receive, but a little shocking for an alien to receive... he examined Joeys face, and Joey was not expecting the question at all...  
'Ummm, what... what do you mean'... as Joey nervously tried to laugh it off.  
Eric having got confirmation, that Joey was basically not human, let him laugh it off, and replied 'I mean your star sign' - I'm a Cancer'  
'Oh... Right...ha, thought you meant... actually I don t know what I thought you meant...'  
'Well... what are you?' - Eric asking again.

'I m a Sagittarius... but you don't really believe in that stuff do you?'

'You'd be surprised...' Eric smiles, he wonders which of them should come out about being an alien first.

Joey suddenly thinking about how he s an Inhuman now, because of 'stuff from the stars' had to smile a little at that...  
'I guess your right...'

'So... You know my name, my star-sign, I know your star-sign, and do I get a name to go with?'  
Joey, now realizing this is a cheesy pickup line, winches a little in discomfort as he reluctantly relinquishes his name. He hates cheesy pickup lines, unless he is the one delivering them.  
'Joey... nice to meet you Eric...'  
'You too... so are you here alone?..'  
'Sorry, I have to go...' Joey interrupts - he makes a hasty exit.

It s not that Joey doesn't like Eric or anything, its just that how does he even contemplate getting close to a guy while he works for Shield, and oh yes the big one by the way - ' _I'm not entirely human_ '... Joey completely forgetting Coulsons orders, and in a bit of a drunken, depressed haze leaves through the back exit that leads to the back alley.  
Joey walks down a dark alley - kicking himself for not giving Eric a chance, but reassures himself that there will be 'other Eric's'  
'Hey! You dropped your phone...'  
'What?... ' Joey spins around.

Joey checks his pocket, and realizes that his phone is never out of his pocket - he turns around and sees Eric with his phone in his hand, running down the alley to return it...  
'You left this in the bar...'

'No... I didn't... Its my er... Work phone... I never take it out of my pocket...' - he states this quite strongly, since it really is his Shield cell phone - he NEVER takes it out of his pocket unless it s an emergency.

Eric suddenly realizing that teleporting his phone out of his pocket might have been the wrong approach this time...  
'Er.. whatever... im just returning it...' Eric says nervously...

'Who do you work for?' says Joey 'Hydra... Shield?...' Joey now interrogating Eric  
'What... what are you talking about ... look, I just returned your phone... your nuts!' Eric tries to turn around and leave but notices a group of what appear to be Thugs blocking the end of the Alley.

Turning around and looking at the end of the alley past Joey, he notices that this end is blocked too...  
Initially - Joey and Eric look at each other thinking the other is responsible or associated with the group of people approaching...  
'Friends of yours?'  
Asks Joey...

'No... I was going to ask the same... they kinda have that butch thuggish look that I assumed you might go for...'  
'We are surrounded by a gang of strange angry people... and your cracking jokes...' - exclaims Joey as he secretly pushes a panic button on his Phone, which was conveniently still in his hand...

'So... these people really aren't friends of yours...' -Eric suddenly realizing that Joey is actually scared here.  
'Not so much' Joey to Eric

'Ah... ok...' Eric says hesitantly  
'Stand close...'

' _So look what we found..._  
 _This is the one the Boss has been looking for... and looks like we caught a bonus prize too._ ' Says one of the thugs.

Joey immediately thinks the thug is talking about him, since he is Shield and an Inhuman - he would be a high value target.  
Of course... Eric can't help but be a little paranoid... are they talking about him?

' _If you come quietly, then we promise not to hurt you too much... and the other guy might survive too.._.'  
' _If you dont..._ '  
As soon as he says 'If you don't...' Erics eyes start glowing purple, and a gush of Wind rushes into the Alley. Eric turns around and grabs Joey before both of them disappear in a ' _Pop_ '. Leaving only a faint smell of Ozone where they once where...

' _Ah crap..._  
 _Boss didn t say they could teleport_.' The thugs try to assign blame

Joey and Eric - now in Central park on the other side of town away from the gang emerge from the teleport, a little dazed...

'WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT...'  
'YOU... YOUR... ARE YOU AN INHUMAN?'

Not knowing what an Inhuman is... Eric kinda looks puzzled, as well as drained...  
Panting from the exertion of teleporting himself and someone else...  
'Just getting my breath here... Inhuman wha? Whats an Inhuman?'

Joey realizing that this guy might just be someone who went through Transition, but never made it onto their radar suddenly tries to do the compassionate and understanding talk that Daisy or Lincoln usually deliver.

'Look... I know what you re going through... I've been there... I went through it too...'

'I'm just going to sit down here...' Eric, looking dizzy from the teleport.  
It obviously took more out of him than he thought it would.  
'Wait... are you ok?' Joey noticing Eric looking dizzy  
'Ah.. you know... happens all the time... just bit tired...' - Eric had gone out to the club to find a snack to feed on.  
The night's escapades had interrupted his routine.  
He basically teleported on an empty stomach and really needs to find someone to feed on.

Realizing that he had pushed the panic button on his Phone prior to the Teleport, he knew that Shield was going to be making an appearance any moment now in Central Park.  
'Look, I need you to come with me... You will be safe', Joey tries to reassure Eric  
'Sorry mate... but your mixed up in some business I don't want any part of...' Eric tries to get up and leave...

'JOEY!' - Exclaims Daisy and Lincoln as they run towards the two...  
Daisy and Lincoln both carrying I.C.E.R guns...

'Daisy, its ok... put the Gun away... he s an Inhuman...'  
'He is?' Lincoln to the group.

Lincoln looking at Eric with suspicion.  
'Look I don't know what you guys are on about... I'm not an inhuman... I just need to get out of here...'

'Sorry, but you can't go...' says Daisy.  
Daisy knows full well that anyone with powers needs to be registered on the Shield Index.

'Watch me...' Eric says, he really doesn't want to go with these guys.

Eric tries to teleport, managing to manifest a few globes of Umbral energy... but his energy depleted by the teleport.  
'Whoa... Why is the sky moving...' - dizzy from the attempt.  
Eric passes out...

 **Nictus in a Strange Place**

Coming in and out of consciousness Eric catches a few conversations of strangers around him...

'I dunno who they were, I thought they were after me... cause im an Inhuman... but I guess they could have been after him...' - Joey

'Do you realize the chances of another Inhuman walking up to you in a bar are virtually non-existent... he must be working for someone...' - May says suspiciously.

'All I know is that he could have teleported himself out of there and left me to those goons, but he took me with him... I'd be on a Hydra operating table somewhere...' Joey seems grateful

As consciousness draws closer, Eric becomes aware of a pain in his arm. A drip that is keeping him hydrated... he starts to open his eyes, and he sees that he is in a white room, with a glass pane in front of him...

Daisy and a man are on the other side of the glass.

'Where am I... Eric tries to speak, but needs water...  
'There s water just to your left' Daisy points the water out to him.

Taking a sip...  
'Where am I, what am I doing here...'

'I know you have questions, but so do we... '- Coulson through the glass

'I don't care about your questions, I want out of here!' Eric panicking

Visibly panicked by scared by the helplessness he is feeling.  
It s been so long since he had been incarcerated by Asgardians, and he hasn't enough energy to teleport...

'What do you want from me...?

My name is Director Coulson, you're with Shield Coulson identifies himself  
Eric looking around the white room, somehow hearing that hes with Shield is not any more comforting than hearing he is with Hydra.

'Who are you, and when did you go through the transformation...' Coulson to Eric

'What transformation...' Eric doesn t have a clue what he s talking about.

'When you got your powers...' Daisy tries to translate

'I don't have any powers...' Eric knows it's a long shot, given he did teleport one and half times in front of them.

Coulson and Daisy getting a little frustrated - 'I saw you use your powers, when you tried to teleport away, but couldn't quite make it...' Daisy tries the compassionate tone of voice.

'Joey says you teleported both of you away when those guys attacked...'

'Big mistake...' - Eric retorts  
'Carrying someone else takes more out of me...'

'So you do have powers' - Coulson  
'See, we are making so much progress...'

'I still don't know what you mean by transformation... I never went through a transformation...'

May enters the room through a side door, she hands a note to Coulson.  
'Daisy, can you join me for a moment...'

Daisy and Coulson leave the room, and join the rest of the gang...

'Hes not an inhuman...' Simmons says to the Gang  
'But he has powers...' Joey still new to the Shield thing, assuming that everyone with Powers is an Inhuman.

As we have seen in the past, that is not a condition specific to just ' _Inhumans_ '. Simmons says to the group.

'Then what is he?' - Lincoln asks.  
'Best I can tell, he is human, but there is a strange energy permeating his body' explains Simmons '... but it looks like the energy is breaking down...' interjects Fitz.

'So when the energy breaks down, he will go back to being a regular human? Job done?' states Mack - who's naturally distrustful of anyone with powers.

'Afraid not... It seems that the weaker this energy gets, the weaker his vitals get... I'd guess that he doesn't have much time left...' - Simmons states in a sad tone.  
'Is there anything that we can do for him?' asks Joey...  
'I mean, he s not the bad guy here'

'Without more data, I wouldn't know where to start...' - Simmons sighs  
'Let me talk to him... He likes me... I think...' - Joey  
'You re not cleared for interrogations... Mac to Joey in a stern voice  
'Is that what this is, an Interrogation...' - Lincoln, who is tired of Mac's Anti-Inhuman attitude...  
'What do you care Sparky, he isn t an Inhuman...' - Mac  
'Daisy! You take lead, and take Joey with you... try to find out who or what he is...  
If there are others like him, we need to know...' - Coulson dispenses the orders...

'... and Joey... Next time I give an order to stay with Daisy and Lincoln... do as I say...' - Coulson says in a harsh tone...

As Joey and Daisy enter the room, they find Eric walking around the containment module - still weak, using his hand to steady himself on the walls as he paces the room.

'You again...' - says Eric... Feeling betrayed by Joey...  
'Look I'm sorry, you passed out and I thought they could help...they're trying to help...' - Joey says nervously  
'...and look how well that's gone so far, I'm in a cage, at Shield...Tell them to let me out of here...' - Eric says coldly..  
'They say you're getting weaker... you won t survive if they can't fix you up...' Joey starts...  
'I will be fine if I can get out of here...' - Eric states, knowing full well that he can't explain to them that he needs to go and feed on a human.

'Look... in the Bar, you wanted to know about me...' - Joey, trying to gain his trust..  
'I will tell you about me, if you tell me about you...Sound fair?'

Eric glances at the floor, knowing he has no other chance to take...  
'Fine...  
So you re not entirely human...' Eric launches the first question, hoping to take the attention off him for a moment.

Joey tries to lighten the mood with a little joke

'Ah... going straight for the tough one... sure you don t want favourite colour or something?'

A bemused Eric tilts his head to the side 'Well... if you don't want tell me I guess...'  
'Oh ok just wait a sec...'

'It was a few months ago - I was a normal guy, popped open a can of Fish Oil tablets - that stuff is meant to be healthy for you, but as it turns out - some of it has the side effect of turning you into an 'Inhuman'.

Daisy cuts in - ' What Joey means, is that there is a small percentage of the population who have a latent Alien Gene, which is activated by the Fish Oil...The process of transformation is called Terigenesis, we initially thought you had gone through the process...'

'I didn't...' Eric says staring at the wall... Not sure if this helps his case or not...  
'And you... How did you get your powers? Daisy asks.

'I don't think you will like the answer...' - Eric responds... knowing the reaction that Aliens have attracted since the battle of New York.

'Well... I m kind of... sort of... half-alien...but my better half is Human' - he tries to end the statement in a humorous tone...  
'Where are you from?' Joey asks...  
'Half of me is from... Norway... 700 years ago...'  
Daisy - 'and the other half...'  
Joey ' Wait... can we get back to the bit where your 700 years old?...'  
'I moisturize...' - Eric chuckles.  
Joey can't help but smile, but also feel a little freaked out...  
'My question - Where is the other part of you from...' - Daisy returns to the question...  
Not wanting to say the word Nictus, in case there are Asgardians nearby, Eric tries to come up with an explanation that will result in the least amount of counter-questions.

'I'm not sure, I don't have much memory of my time before Earth...  
I was dying 700 years ago, and the Alien energy bonded with me and saved my life...' Eric says quickly, trying to move on.

'Wait... so you were fully human once, and the alien went inside you...' - Daisy

'Yeah, but hes part of me now, we are inseparable - I just think of him as me, and he does the same.  
We don't even talk to each other, it s just me.  
We don't share this body, we are just the same being...' - Explains Eric inadequately.

Coulson and May observe the interview.  
'Has Shield ever seen an alien like this before?' May asks.  
'If we have - Fury didn t include it in the toolbox he left me...'

The Shield team assemble in the briefing room, as Coulson addresses them on the Eric situation.  
If there is an alien threat out there that can possess the bodies of humans I need to know about it...  
Unfortunately there is only one other Alien who we can ask for advice on this matter... Coulson elaborates on his plan  
'Please don't say it...' Daisy mutters...  
'Elliot Randolph' - Coulson finishes nodding to Daisy.

'Who s Elliot Randolph...' asks Joey...  
'He s an Asgardian...but less impressive than Thor... kind of pathetic really...' - Hunter in his usual sarcastic self.

 **Nictus, meet Asgardian**

'ABSOLUTELY NOT...'  
'We had an understanding that after I helped Shield with the Portal... you wouldn't call on me again...' - Randolph exclaims...

'What can I say, you're living in America, and you should serve your country...' - Coulson says smugly  
'We just want to know if you have seen an alien like this before...' Coulson trying to minimize the impact to Randolph's obviously non-existent schedule.

'I guess I am going to have to go with you to your secret base and see this 4 armed monstrosity or something...You know, I never know if the next time I go into that base, if it will be my last...' Randolph jokes.

'Don't worry, the Alien is not as ... Alien as that...'

'From what we can tell, it s an energy based lifeform that is living inside a Human...'

'I sincerely doubt that... Energy based lifeforms are fairly rare in the Cosmos, and the majority of them are extinct... but do try again, I do so enjoy a story...' Randolph unconvinced that it is an Energy based Life-form

'Fine... the creature that is _not_ an energy based life form is in our containment module at our base, it says he merged with his host 700 years ago, he has the power to teleport, possibly other abilities too... and thus far has been unwilling or unable to tell us more...' Coulson emphasizing the _not_ an energy based life form bit.

'You say he can teleport?' - Elliot intrigued...

'Yeah, he apparently manifests purple glowing balls of light, which then Whoosh him away to a far exotic destination...' Coulson says, almost wishing he could teleport right now.  
'...how did you catch it...' - asks Elliot 'He passed out, he teleported himself and one of my agents and apparently taking him along for the ride tired him out too much to get away...' - Coulson explains...

'I need to see it now...' - Elliot thinking that he knows what it is.

Back at the base, Joey and Eric are still chatting...  
'You know, once I went into a bar, and a guy in his 60's tried chatting me up, I mean, age is just a number... but 700...'

'Oh come off it, you were secretly loving every minute of it... until you high-tailed it out of there...' - Eric retorts.  
'Why did you leave anyway...' Eric asks.  
'Wait... did you teleport my phone out of my pocket back at the club...' Joey tries to side-step the question.  
'Maybe... but your avoiding the question , thought we had a deal - I Tell you more about me, if you tell me about you...' - Eric returns the conversation to the aforementioned question

Daisy is now out of the room, but still observing, not that Joey knows - he feels somewhat comfortable to share with Eric.

'I guess... ever since I changed, into an Inhuman... it just feels like it s that extra bit hard to find 'someone', I mean, I thought you were just a run of the mill guy in the bar. How would you have reacted if I told you I had a little alien DNA inside me...? Oh dear... I just realized how bad that sounded...' Joey cringes at what he just said.

Eric - trying not to smile...  
'Well, remembering that im over 700 here, I'd probably have been alright with that... cradle snatcher an all...'  
Eric smiles a little Joey now actually visibly smiling and enjoying the conversation.

Daisy and Lincoln are now in the control room, watching the feed and suddenly realize how lucky they were that they had each other and shared so much in common.  
Realizing that Joey had been putting a brave face on and trying to throw himself into his Shield training to take his mind off the fact that he has no personal life to speak of, he had to cut ties with his family and friends when he transformed into an inhuman.  
Coulson and Elliot Randolph enter the observation room where Daisy is observing the interview.

'And you think this might be a NICTUS?' - Coulson asks Elliot  
'It s unlikely, but you are describing a NICTUS...  
They were parasitic life forms that fed on the life energy of other life forms in the galaxy until the Asgardians wiped them out several thousand years ago...'

'The terrible Irony is that they were once a beautiful Energy based life form called 'Kheldians' - who glowed like the sun.  
Elliot explains using his Hands to gesture the glow of the sun.

However they had a very short life span, which led to a philosophical divide...' His voice goes stern.

'You see... one group of Kheldian, wanted to extend their life, and to do so, they experimented upon themselves, turning themselves from Symbiotic lifeforms, into parasitic life forms...'  
I assume they succeeded...' asks Coulson...

'Oh yes...unfortunately for the Kheldians...'

'Now able to survive for thousands of years, the NICTUS as they called themselves, had to drain the life force of their Kheldian brothers to survive. An entire species extinct... Poof! 'When the Kheldian's were gone, the Nictus turned their attention to the worlds that were under Asgards protection... And that's when the Asgardians performed a purge...' Elliot sounding a little solemn.

'A purge... - Daisy asks.  
'Well... when one species threatens the safety of many species on many worlds, it s sometimes necessary to break a few eggs...' Elliot says cavalierly

The tone in the room is somewhat dark...  
'BUT Anyway... I know an easy way to tell if it's a Nictus or not... May I speak with it...' - Elliot jests...  
'Alright... but I am going to sit in...' - Coulson . . . .

Coulson walks into the interrogation room, and asks Joey to step outside...  
As Joey is leaving... Elliot walks in...  
Eric not knowing what is going on...  
Elliot sits down at the interrogation desk, and speaks through the glass to Eric.  
Elliot smiles and leans forward towards the glass  
'IM AN ASGARDIAN, ARE YOU A NICTUS...' He says with a terrifying grin on his face.

'Erics face turns pale, and he jumps out of his chair, and runs to the other side of the room.

'Please... no, get him away...  
You said you were gonna help!' Eric screams to Joey, who just fed him to the Lions so to speak

Disturbed at the reaction Eric had towards Elliot, Coulson walks Elliot out of the room.  
Elliot as he exits the room states  
'My work here is done... But I would recommend you kill it ASAP, or better yet, get Thor or someone else to do it for you...'  
Eric hearing the comment has a look of a dead man walking on his face. He slumps down into the corner of the room, away from the glass.

Coulson enters the main observation room, Elliot is escorted off base and returned to his life.  
'What the hell was that!' - Joey shouts...  
'I'm sorry, but we needed to know...' - Coulson  
'Know what... that he's terrified of Asgardians...' - Lincoln.  
'We know that hes a member of a race that is responsible for the genocide of many other races...' Coulson standing firm on the issue  
'Are we really going to judge him based on something the rest of his people may or may not have done thousands of years ago...' - Daisy.  
'We needed to know what he was, and he wasn't giving us any other option...' - Coulson  
'I hate to interrupt, but this does help a little, we now know why he's dying...' - Simmons  
'We do?' - Joey  
'He s starving... He most likely needs to feed on life force' - Fitz continues on.  
'I fail to see how that helps...' - May exclaims, knowing we will not be feeding any humans to him.

Joey leaves the room, and returns to the interrogation room.  
'Is it true...?' - are you a Nictus?  
Eric stands up, walks closer to the glass to see Joeys face.  
'So what if it is...' - Eric says coldly.  
'Did you do what they say you Joey starts.  
' **NO**... Let me stop you there... no one said I did anything... they are just blaming me for things my people did... I didn't do anything!' - Eric shouts, vehement that he has committed no crime other than being born Nictus.

'I thought you didn't remember much about time before Earth...' - Joey says painfully - like he just realized he was being lied to.

Eric sits down again, holding his head in his hands, and starts to speak...

'You know the Asgard probably tell tales of the noble Nictus Hunt's they did. About how it was a tradition, and a service to cull the terrible Nictus... lest they crawl into your home and devour your children...'

'All I remember from the Nictus hunts was seeing my people being vaporized, or trapped in containment cells for dissection or experimentation later...'  
'I remember them saying that I was the last of my kind... and that I was gonna be joining my people in the void that morning...'  
They had me in a containment cell - no larger than a shoebox. Eric remembering his time on Asgard.  
'they used to come up to it, poke the force field or shake the cell with me in it. Like I was some insect trapped in a bottle.'  
'I was a trophy of the hunt, a valuable prize no doubt, since the rest of my kind were dead.' Eric says quietly.

'...' - Joey quiet now, suddenly realizing how terrible it was from his point of view.  
'...' The people in the control room, observing the feed...

'I was due to be killed and some Asgardian took pity, and let me go. She offered me escape in a Shadow Cyst...  
Joey squints when he hears Shadow Cyst Not knowing what it is.

They are these crystals that our kind can put our essence into.' Eric explains 'In order for me to stow-away in the cyst, I needed to let my previous host die. We don t bond with hosts for the fun of it. When we bond, we intend for it to be for life So when I had to escape, it cost too much I had to let part of me die..'  
'But I knew, if I let them kill me that morning, then both of us would have died, and this way, part of him would live on...'

'I never knew her name, but the Asgardian woman, she was a scientist and she said she believed that I wasn't guilty for the crimes of my species, and that should would get me to safety if I made her one promise.'  
'What promise' - Joey asked.  
'Just be better than my ancestors...' - Eric said solemnly.  
Eric looks around at his room again, Surprisingly, it s not that hard given my Ancestors conquered planets and drove entire species to extinction . Eric trying to joke, his face is wet from wiping his eyes.

I tried really hard to stay off the grid, I kept moving all over the world, never staying in one place for too long. Eric to Joey

'But don't you need to feed on people...' asked Joey.  
'I go to that night-club because it s usually easy to go home with someone, I feed a little on them, but they always recover and they just attribute the next day to a hang-over.'

'So you don't need to kill anyone to feed?' - asks Joey, feeling a little optimistic.

'No... My people used to devour someone s entire life force, they gave into their baser instincts, but they never had to take life in order to live...'  
'I just fed a little on people, once or twice a week - taking small amounts, instead of a whole life.'

Joey gets up and leaves the room.

 **Can I keep him?**

'I wana feed him...' - Joey to the rest of the room.

'You re not talking about feeding a cat here, you don't know what sort of effect it might have, you might get grey hair or something ' Hunter, seemingly making a random reference to Rogue from the X-Men movie.  
'And after today, what about next week, or the week after that... You seriously think you can feed him long term?' - rationalizes May.  
'He s not a threat... you heard him... he s the last of his kind and if we don't let him out, he will die...' Joey emphasizing the options  
'we can't let him out, I say we let nature run its course...' Mack, who cares little for aliens.

'That's cruel and obscene, you really want to sit back and watch him starve to death?' - Daisy to Mack (outraged at the sheer wrongness of Mack s suggestion)

Enough! - Coulson to the room 'We will make a decision on this tomorrow, Fitz-Simmons assures me they can make him comfortable in the meantime, and he isn't in any immediate danger...'  
The room looks around, and Simmons raises her voice above the silence.  
'We should have a day or two before him ... ummmm you know...' - Simmons begins...

'Dies?' Joey finishes coldly.

That night while everyone is sleeping, Joey visits Daisy - who for once is not spending time with Lincoln.  
It seems that Lincoln being on the fence about Eric boils down to the fact that he turned out to not be an Inhuman...

'He said that?' - Joey asks  
'Yeah, basically, he s not from Earth, he's an Alien, he's dangerous, he's not Inhuman, he's not our problem...' - Daisy recites the reasons Lincoln gave for being on the fence...  
'I need your help, I need to get in there and get him out...' - Joey asks.  
'You realize you could lose any chance of being an agent if you do this...' - Daisy states  
'What about you...?' - Joey asks.  
Hmmm... Coulson never stays wrong at me for long, and to be honest, as long as you have the moral high ground he s usually a kitten...'

Later that morning - around 3am, the security systems go offline, and the doors around the containment room unlock.  
Joey enters the room, Eric wakes up and recoils - thinking it s his execution.

'Look, you saved me when you didn't have to, I'm returning the favor...'

Just as he says that, the containment door seals again, and the base security goes back online.  
It seems that Coulson expected something like this...

'Joey - its Coulson, stand down and step away from Eric...'

'Are you going to get in trouble for this?' Asks Eric.

'Please... who could stay mad at this face...' - Joey jokes.

'So... do you need to do a run and jump or something to get that teleport thing working, or ...'

'I can't teleport without feeding... Otherwise..'

'Ah yes... you would have teleported yesterday... and made this whole rescue redundant...'

'So it s a rescue...' - Eric Smirks.

'It was... until we got trapped in here...'  
Joey turns to Eric, and asks, 'Can you teleport if you feed on me...'  
'I can but...'

'Is this going to hurt...' Joey asks..

'To be honest, you might actually enjoy it...' reassures Eric.

Just as the doors to the containment module open and Mack, May and Hunter come with I.C.E.R.S drawn.  
Eric steps closer to Joey, and Kisses him while holding on to him. A bright purple light shines from their position.  
'Open fire, I.C.E.R.S only...' - shouts MAY.  
The I.C.E.R fire is deflected as if bouncing off an invisible wall.  
A moment later the tell-tale Pop sound occurs, sucking much of the loose items in the module towards the center in a whoosh of wind.  
Joey and Eric are gone.

May, Hunter and Mack turn and look at one another -  
'Coulson, they re gone...' May says over the radio

Coulson is now debriefing or shouting at Daisy, or possibly a combination of both...

'Daisy God-Dammit! I told you we would make a decision tomorrow!' - shouts Coulson, scolding Daisy.  
'Do you hear yourself... you were going to 'decide' if someone should be left to starve to death tomorrow...' responds Daisy.  
'I hear you Daisy, but Shield is not your private humanitarian charity... we don't know anything about the long term effects that you might have just subjected Joey to...'  
'How do we know he is even alive!' Daisy looks at the ground, her face scrunched up in annoyance.

She knows she was right... but to a lesser degree, so is Coulson..

'Your right... I don't know where Joey is now, but I know Eric wasn't lying... you just had to listen to him to know he was telling the truth...'  
'He was genuinely scared and ...'

'...and what...' interrupts Coulson...

'Well... to be totally honest, I think he and Joey kind of like each other...' - she tries to say innocently

'...Daisy... just go find Joey... track his phone or whatever...' - Coulson doesn t have time for tales of romance.

Sometime later, elsewhere in the world...

A weakened Joey Gutierrez lye's on a bed fully dressed, having been unconscious for the last day...  
'Grrrrr... ' he moans... as if hung over He rolls over opening his eyes half expecting to be lying beside someone...  
Remembering being locked in the containment module with Eric, and remembering teleporting away with him - he suddenly realizes he basically just ran away from Shield, and disobeyed orders directly from Coulson...  
'Ohhhh Sh...' he exclaims

Joey looks around the room he is in, finds a towel and fresh clothes left out for him. The room he is in has an en-suite with a shower that was just begging to be used.  
Figuring that he could probably use a shower, and who knows it might help him get over the hangover thing he has...

'That kiss... he whispers...' - with a small smile.  
'Packed a punch...' he smirks

As Joey gets up to move towards the bathroom, he notices the Window and he doesn't recognize the architecture as being typical NYC. On closer examination he sees people cycling, lots of people carrying bread-sticks and very old style churches nearby. In the distance he can see the Eiffel Tower...  
'Im in France...' he exclaims.

Eric teleports into the main room of the Apartment with a whooshing sound, he is normally allot more stealthy - but he doesn't quite have the Apartment mapped out - so he occasionally bumps his legs into the coffee table in the center of the room.

'Ouch!' - He exclaims... trying to say it as quietly as possible..  
He tries to keep the noise down, almost like a school kid sneaking back into the house after being late home from curfew.  
He hears the shower on, and realises Joey is awake.

'Ooooh kay...' he says, nervously  
'This is going to be awkward...' he mumbles to himself...  
He starts to cook a fry using the groceries he just arrived back with...  
99% of the time the smell of bacon lures everyone out of the bedroom... Except the Vegetarians...

Joey just finishing up in the bathroom smells the scent of food from outside of the Bedroom, realizing that Eric must be back he turns the Shower off...  
'Crap...' he suddenly realizes that now Eric now knows he s awake...  
Joey gets dressed.

Knowing there is no point in dragging it out any longer, Joey steps uneasily out into the what appears to be the open plan kitchen of the apartment...

'This your place?' he asks nervously...  
'Ha... I wish...' - Eric smirked  
'Just borrowing it, these town houses are empty during the off season...'  
Figured it would be a good place to er... cook you breakfast...'

Eric suddenly realising how 'break and entering' that sounds... - He cringes for a moment...

'How long was I...you know...'

'Out cold? About a day...' - says Eric, biting his lip innocently...  
'Sorry...' Eric says cringing

'I need to call Shield...let them know I m safe...' - Joey yawns... still obviously drained.  
'Have some food first, get your energy back... I'd feel bit bad if they thought I was starving you...' - Eric says sarcastically  
'You know... given they were starving me, and you kissed me...'

'YOU KISSED ME...' exclaimed Joey...  
'You offered to let me feed...' Smirked Eric...  
'That's how you feed?...'  
'Well not exactly... but what did you expect... fangs in the neck?'  
'I'm not a vampire' - laughs Eric...

'Besides... didn't hear you complaining...' - Eric smiles at Joey, offering him a plate with Crisp Bacon, Sausage, and Egg wrapped in a bread roll.

'I suppose Shield will be more forgiving if I m fed...' - jokes Joey, reluctantly taking the plate of food.

'Oh... I won't be going back to Shield... I just wanted to make sure you were safe and well before I left...' - says Eric.

'If I go back to Shield, they will kill me, or hand me over to the Asgardians...'  
Eric explains

'You don't know that...' - Joey tries to explain.  
'Coulson might have come around...'  
'He s just a bit paranoid when it comes to extra-terrestrial stuff...'

'He might have let you go, I mean... you wouldn't be the only alien living on earth...' - Joey referring to Elliot

'Yeah, just on that... who was the Asgardian...' - Eric asks crossly.  
'I don t know, I just joined Shield, apparently he s an Asgardian who has lived on Earth for hundreds of years...'  
'From what I have heard, he wants to stay off the grid from Asgard too... Coulson likes to use that to black mail him from what I've seen...'

'Wow...there s me thinking Earth was a safe retreat from Asgard... and there was an Asgardian here all along...' Eric says coldly...

'Was all that true, what you said... about what they did to you and your people? ' asks Joey.

'Did you think I made that up because I was weak and dying...' asks Eric almost cavalierly.

'No... its just...' Joey sincerely  
'It sounded pretty bad...'

'It was worse...' says Eric 'But nothing that they didn't deserve I guess...'  
'You don't mean that...' says Joey.  
'Don't I...' says Eric.

'I basically inherited every bad deed that my Ancestors did...  
They wiped out the Kheldians before I was born, and by the time I was born the Asgard had already started exterminating us...'  
'I didn't know why these people were coming to our Worlds killing us, I thought they were our worlds, I didn't realize that we took them from other people...'

'... not to change the subject or anything...' - Joey Starts.

'Why did you come and talk to me in the club...' Joey trying to make the conversation happier

'I had never seen someone like you before...'  
'Like me?' - asks Joey, possibly blushing a little.  
Smiling, Eric explains...  
'I can see the aura of people... and yours is a little different from everyone else s... guess it s because you're an...' Eric starts..

'Inhuman?' - finishes Joey...

'Yeah, that... so what exactly is an Inhuman... So far I haven t seen anything particularly inhuman about you.'  
'Now smiling, because he gets to show off his "Awesome NEW Superpower..."'

Well... see this Fork... 'He says as he holds a Fork in his hand...'

'Wait... are you going to bend a fork? ' - Eric says, unimpressed  
'Couldn t Uri Geller do that too? ' He laughs

Realising that a Fork was probably a little unimpressive...  
Joey looks around for something a little bigger...

'Ok, see that frying pan...'  
Joey winches his face and concentrates on the Frying Pan, and before long it starts to bubble and curl.

Eric looks on in surprise...  
'You can bend Kitchen Utensils...' he says seriously looking at Joey.  
Both of them try to keep a straight face but can't help but burst out laughing.

'NOT FUNNY...' Joey exclaims  
'Thats my super power...' Joey says all self-conscious.

'No.. its amazing' Eric laughs... 'it s not that...'  
'Well what is it...' Joey wanting to know why hes laughing

'That's not my Frying Pan...' - Laughs Eric

Daisy and co are still searching for Joey and Eric,  
They have been up for a whole day searching all known places Joey and Eric have been spotted.  
'Coulson! We have something...' - Daisy calls out  
'Good news only Daisy...' Coulson says sternly

'Sorry Sir...' Daisy not sure this qualifies.

'I was going through the Camera footage for the Alley where that gang of thugs tried to attack Joey, and I found something interesting...'  
'See that guy there...' pointing to the screen, at one of the gang...  
'Hes been going to that Club for the last 6 weeks, and he always has his eyes on Eric...' If I didnt know better, I'd say he was a tail.

'They werent after Joey that night... they were after Eric all along...'  
\- Coulson says as pieces suddenly click together.

'I figure that these guys have been tracking Eric longer than we have, so they would probably have an idea where he is...'  
'And?' - asks Coulson  
'This guy, was recorded getting a private jet to France 5 hours ago, he lands in 3 hours... and the Ticket was bought by a Subsidiary of our favourite millionaire Philanthropist of the month... Gideon Malik...'  
'Hydra's last remaining head.'  
'I don't think this guy is going for the culture...' Daisy joking as she makes the Slam Dunk

'You, Lincoln, Mack and May - go and bring Joey back...'  
And Eric...?' asks Daisy

'Make him see that it is in his best interest to come back with us...He can come back with us, or end up on a Hydra operating table...'

 **To France and Back**

'I didn't want them to trace your phone and find you all passed out and stuff...' - shouts Eric  
'They d be like " _What have you done to our JOEY_! **BOOM BOOM BOOM** ' : as Eric does an impression of Mack shooting him.

'So you dumped my phone in the Atlantic...' 'its Shield tech, it s probably waterproof, they probably think I m at the bottom of the ocean now...'  
Joey scoffs in unbelief  
'Oh...'  
'well, if you re feeling better now, I guess you could use this one... I bought you a prepaid...'

Joey finding it hard to stay cross at Eric takes the phone off him, and starts dialing Daisy...

'I've literally just started working for Shield, and already lost my company phone...I am so getting in trouble for this...' - Says Joey, only half joking...

He connects to Daisy over the phone and begins to talk.

"Daisy!"  
"I'm fine, yeah you can come and get me..."  
"I'm in France as it turns out...  
'Wait... Hydra?..."  
"Where am I supposed to go?"

While Joey speaks on the phone, Eric lifts his bag, preparing to teleport out of the place thinking that Shield are going to take him again.

Just then - a Knock on the door.

"Eric! Get away from the door..." says Joey.  
"Can you get us out of here..." Joey to Eric

'Think so..' - Asks Eric 'What's going on...' Eric shouts

'Hydra know where we are... we need to get out of here...'

'Where to!' Asks Eric

'Always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower...' smirks Joey

Eric takes Joeys hand and the familiar whooshing of air can be heard.  
A purple light shines under the front door, as Hydra goons break down the door to find an empty Apartment with nothing save the smell of a recently cooked bacon and ozone...

Eric and Joey both arrive at the base of the Eiffel Tower, it was only about 300-400 meters away, the teleport was just the easiest way to get past the Hydra goons.

"... we are both at the entrance... where are you..." Joey to Daisy

'Joey, we are still 10 minutes out... get to the top of the Tower, put as much distance between Hydra and you" Daisy as she is flying in on the Quinn Jet

Joey and Eric stand in-front of the Eiffel Tower, it is still morning time and the Tower is not yet open for tours until the afternoon.  
'Up we go...' - says Joey  
'Can we take the elevator...' asks Eric...  
'No... Daisy says if we get stuck in the elevator then we are done for...'  
'I have an express elevator they can t stop...' Eric smiles as he takes Joeys hand.  
The familiar whooshing with a high pitched pop.

Arriving at the top... Joey can't help but ask...

'I thought that teleporting both of us took a lot of out you...'

'It does... but I got a good boost from that kiss...' - Smiling... despite the danger they are in.

'You kissed me...' - Retorts Joey  
'Didn t hear you complaining...'  
'I was unconscious...' says Joey.  
'...but yeah... it was a pretty good kiss...' Joey says under his breath... Eric smiles, having heard his comment.

'Joey... what now...' - asks Eric, suddenly realizing Shield are coming...  
'What do you mean?' Shield come and rescue us from Hydra...' responds Joey

'I just escaped from Shield...if I go back they will...'  
'If you don't, then Hydra will dissect you when they get you... and from what Daisy told me, they have been watching you for weeks, maybe months...' - explains Joey

'Look, I'm asking you to trust me...'  
'I realise Shield hasn't exactly given you the best accommodation last time you stayed with them... but this time things will be different...'  
'Different?' asks Eric, obviously apprehensive about putting his trust in anyone else...

'I'm going to be there...I won't let them hurt you'  
Eric looks at Joey, feeling something he hasn't felt in a long time.  
Before meeting Joey he had become accustomed to his loneliness, but the last 36 hours had been the most frightening and at the same time best that he has had in as long as he can remember...'  
Eric reaches over to Joey... obviously moving in for a kiss...

'Ummm no... I don't wana...' Joey tries to protest.  
Before Joey can finish his protest the two kiss...  
Joey opens his eyes, wondering why he isnt losing consciousness...  
'I didn t pass out...' - Joey thinking that Eric was going to feed on him again...  
'No... you didnt...' Eric smiles  
'I am capable of delivering a kiss without sucking the life force out of people...' - Eric rolls his eyes

Joey smiles at Eric, but notices the door to the stairwell opens.  
A man, tall, shaved head with tattoos across his neck emerges...  
He has a handgun in one hand, he is followed by 3 other goons.

'Get down...' Joey whispers to Eric...  
They both get down and try to take cover  
'You get down... what are you going to do, bend Cutlery at them?' Eric retorts still not buying into joeys 'Bullet Proof' ability.

'And what are you going to do... teleport them to a hot exotic location...'? - Joey exclaims... but suddenly realizes that anywhere but here would actually be an effective solution...

'Would... but it doesn't quite work that way...' says Eric...

At this point, the Men have seen Joey and Eric, and they start to form a line facing them. Each of them pointing their gun at the two...  
'Boss wants him dead now...' the lead goon shouts...  
'Fire...'

'Bullets get launched from their guns, and Joey steps forward with his hand outstretched - hoping to reproduce his heroic Daisy Bulletproof rescue.  
One by one, the bullets do turn to metal liquid, each hitting Joey with the force of a paintball gun pellet.

'Haha... told you... bulletproof...' laughs Joey.  
He concentrates for a second, and the Guns the goons are holding melt into a pile of slag.  
Each of the Goons drop their guns, not wanting to get mess over their hands.

'We thought we might run into you Mr Gutierrez, so we bought along a backup piece' - taunts the lead goon, as he takes out a gun that appears to be 3D printed out of plastic..

Realizing that Joey can t stop these bullets or those guns, Eric steps forward...'

Joey not knowing the extent of Eric s powers tries to get him to take cover...

'It might be a good idea for us to run...' Joey to Eric  
'Were trapped... we can t run... I'm done running...'  
'You trust me right? Asks Eric...'

'Is this really the time to be having this conversation...' exclaims Joey

The hydra goons savoring the apparent domestic, take aim at Eric.  
Erics Eyes start glowing purple... but this time not the pale violet that used to permeate his iris' when he teleported...

It was more of a dark purple that almost seemed to seap out of his eyes like a dark nimbus. A smoke that seemed to draw the light itself into it.

The dark purple vapor starts to swirl around him, soon occluding his body...  
'Fire!'

The goons all fire at the mass of black purple smoke which has built up into a large mass...  
Joey wasn t sure if Eric was still inside the mass of smoke, but he did hear the bullets impacting on something hard. Looking across the ground, Joey could see the bullets falling to the ground, each was crushed and bent beyond recognition.  
Moments pass and the goons expect to see a Dead Eric on the ground...  
The smoke clears... and to their horror stands a creature about 9 ft tall with a hard exoskeleton resembling a lobster or crab.

'Fine... take out Gutierrez...' - The goons shout

'The creatures eyes blaze red, and let s out a roar...'

Each of the Goons drop their guns, as their attention turns towards their necks...  
They feel like they are suffocating, even though they can breathe just fine...

Purple particles of energy can be seen floating from the mouths of the Hydra goons towards the creature...  
It was draining their life force, feeding on all of them simultaneously...

'No... get out of here... quick...' the goons exclaimed

The hydra goons tried to run back out the door, but it had closed shut behind them and locked...  
One by one, they collapsed to the ground... losing consciousness...

'They will never stop coming... they wont stop until they get me...' Says Eric... somehow despite the lack of a human mouth...

'Eric... stop.. you don't have to kill them...' - Joey tries to calm Eric down.

'You saw them... they... they learn your weaknesses and then they try to kill you using them...

They tried to kill you!'

'Do you remember that promise you made...' - Joey reminds Eric of the promise he made those thousand years ago.

The Red light that was in the creatures eyes subsides and he calms down...

Joey steps out from behind him and takes his 'claw' trying to get him to return to human form...

Just as this happens, Daisy and Mac rush through the door, finding the Hydra goons unconscious and Joey in front of the 9ft tall creature...

JOEY GET DOWN! - Shouts Mac, thinking the creature is a threat.  
'No guys wait...'  
'It s Eric... he saved me!'

Eric hiding behind Joey, trusting what he said earlier about him protecting him...

'Purple smoke starts to appear and it envelops the creature... as it swirls in circular motion and reforms into Eric s human form...'

Eric looks at the faces of Daisy and Mac, who is now accompanied by Lincoln and May, each one looking at him not knowing what to make of him.  
His own face wet from tears he had while transformed, he then focuses on Joey who is the only one smiling at him.

'It s over Eric, let's go...' - Joey says with a sense of hope in his voice.

Sensing relief from the constant running and hiding... Eric steps forward into Joey's arms and just hugs him.  
'I don't want to run anymore...' he whispers They embrace tightly before letting go. Joey takes Eric's hand and the group head down the stairs calmly to the extraction vehicle outside.

Eric still apprehensive about throwing himself back into Shields 'care' knows only 2 things.

Either everything will be ok, like Joey said.  
Or everything will be over...

 **Nictus & Shield**

Eric has had his accommodation upgraded to Guest Quarters... no longer in immediate need of medical attention he has been confined to quarters until the team can be debriefed.  
He is pacing a little, it s been about 4 hours and he hasn't heard from anyone.

He could teleport out of the room, but he doesn't want to risk ruining a good thing...  
=============================================

'...Well I was unconscious for most of it...' - Joey explains.  
'I only woke up after a day, if I knew I was going to be out of contact for a Day I...' - Joey stops.

'Joey?' Asks May - who is taking his debrief.

'Sorry May, but I would have done it all over again... If I didn't do what I did, he would probably be dead right now.'

'You don't know that Joey, we all saw what he s like, what he s capable of...' - May

'What he s capable of? You saw those Hydra goons, they had plastic bullets designed to kill me 'specifically'. They knew my name... He saved me!'

'You put both your lives in danger by leaving the Base while Hydra were looking for you...' - May says coldly.

'When will Hydra **NOT** be looking for us...' Joey shouts losing his temper.  
'Tell me May, when will Hydra finally let me or anyone of us have a life!'

'Dismissed, return to your quarters...' - May finishes the interview, she obviously doesn t have an answer.

'You might not like how it played out Sir,  
but we did come out of this with a few Hydra goons to interrogate... we might be able to get some valuable intel on Malik from them.' - Hunter tries to point out the silver lining.

'You saw what he became' - Coulson to May  
'Is that an asset we can afford falling into Hydras hands?  
'Definitely not'  
'But there is a bigger issue...' - May to Coulson

'I know...' Coulson responds...  
'Joey...'

Coulson now alone in the director s office...  
Simmons enters with lab work.

'Excuse me sir, the lab work you wanted done on Joey is finished..'  
'Please tell me Simmons,  
you have found some medical reason why Joey would go off on a 1 day adventure with an Alien from another planet and put himself in mortal danger.' - Coulson, hoping for a chemical explanation.

'If you re looking for a medical reason that relates to extra-terrestrial interference, I don't think I have one...'  
'I can tell you that Joey is medically fine, he just needs a good night sleep.  
'Best I can tell that the Nictus feeding process drains energy from Humans that is recovered by sleep. The side effect is that someone who has been fed on just needs a good night sleep.'  
'Blood work shows that he does have elevated levels of Melatonin which supports the hypothesis...'

'Long term side-effects?' Coulson asks

'This is a new alien life-form, the Human body isn't designed to be used for sustenance, if you re asking for specific medical complications that could arise from repeated feeding's, I can t even hypothesize. Theoretically, with enough time between feedings - there may not be any side effects... we won't know until...'

'Until we feed him someone...' - says Coulson.

'Or someone volunteers...' suggests Simmons.

'You mean Joey?' - Coulson asks.

'I know it sounds odd, but I think they genuinely care about each other...'

'They've known each other for what... 2,3 days?' - exclaims Coulson.

'It's unconventional, but hardly unheard of...  
'Everyone has heard the rumours that Thor had a human sweetheart...' - Simmons visibly blushing at the thought...  
'But Thor fights for the Avengers...' - Coulson reasons.

'So he has to be a superhero before you will treat him like a decent person...' Simmons says quietly.

'Thank you Simmons, that will be all...'

Simmons walks towards the door, stops to think and turns back to Coulson...

'You could always just ask him... if he wants to join Shield...'

Coulson turns to Simmons, tries to think of something to say, but the words just don't come out. He just smiles as if to say 'Dismissed' again.

 **Ending**

It s the next day, and Coulson and Eric are sitting down at a desk in the Directors office, Daisy and Joey are both present.

'Suffice to say that I'm not particularly happy about the adventure you had in Paris' - Coulson starts his lecture.  
'It was wreck-less, dangerous and you put one of my agents in harm's way, even if he was willing to be in 'harm s way'.

'I m sorry but...' Eric tries to speak.

'I m not finished...' - Coulson, not liking being interrupted...

'That being said, I've been told that our options are limited when it comes to you...  
'Lock you up, feed you, you become our long term guest...'  
'Lock you up, don't feed you, you die...'  
'Release you and eventually Hydra will either kill you or turn you to their side...'  
'Based on the things I've been hearing about how you were treated by Asgardians, and how you reacted towards one of them, I am not considering handing you over to them...

Eric looks up from the floor at Coulson, sensing a glimmer of hope as the conversation suddenly starts to feel more positive.

'So really the only option I see here is to enlist you as if you were an inhuman.'

'I don't necessarily know how that will work, given you re not an Inhuman, but we don't have any other training regime that would be appropriate.'  
'There would be conditions put in place...  
'You would be placed on the index for powered people...'  
'We would want a full disclosure of powers and your history...'  
'I've spoken with Agent Gutierrez, on the matter. He is willing to help out with your dietary requirements, so you will have no need to leave the Base without authorization.

Eric now looking at Joey smiling at the offer he just made.  
'Don't get me wrong, you are effectively under house arrest until you earn our trust, even Joey will be grounded until his training is complete and I am confident that both of you can follow rules.'  
'Eventually, with good behaviour those rules will be relaxed when I know both of you can be trusted...'  
'You will also be subjected to non-invasive medical examinations routinely - this goes for Agent Gutierrez as well. We want to understand the feeding process of Nictus and maybe identify an artificial supplement.

'Questions?' - Coulson finishes

'What if Asgard finds out I m on Earth?' asks Eric.

'We tell where they can go...that's what...' - exclaims Joey.

'Ahem, thank you Agent Gutierrez' - Coulson (Daisy trying to hide her smile...)

'Obviously Thor plays an important part as a member of the Avengers and as 'protector' of Midgard...'  
'That being said, he will face the fury of the remaining Avengers if he or any other Asgardian sets foot on this planet with the intent of abducting or harming a member of my team.'

'I can testify to that... they tried to get me once' - says Daisy, remembering when she was still going through Transition and Lady Sif tried to take her.

'I don't mean to rush you into a decision but I really...'

'YES!' exclaims Eric

'You sure this is what you want, it won t be easy...' explains Coulson

Eric looks at Joey,  
both of them smiling

'I don't want to run any-more...' Eric to the Room

To be Continued


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Its been 3 days since Eric agreed to stay with Shield.  
He tells himself that this is the best choice from the available bad choices...  
Since joining Shield he's kept himself pretty secluded and confined to his quarters.  
He still remembers the expression everyone had on their faces when he went full on Dwarf Form in France...  
Although people will eventually learn to accept him, he knows they will always see him as a monster.  
The only person who hasn't treated him like a monster so far is Joey

==========================================

 **Feeding Time at the Zoo**

Eric is lying on his Bed rolled over on his side just staring at the wall...  
He is thinking to himself how everything is different now  
No longer is he alone and running from place to place, or night club to night club...  
He should be happy, but he isn't...  
He tells himself he should trust shield, but he doesn't... not yet.

'Eric?' - a voice from the door

'Go away...' he shouts

'Its me, Joey..' the voice affirms.

Eric sits up in his bed and suddenly realises he hasn't seen Joey since the Directors office,  
when he basically said he would kick Thor's Ass if he tried to take him away..  
That was 3 days ago...

Eric buttons up a shirt quickly, and moves to the door and opens it to Joey who is wearing a full Shield uniform.  
Eric sees the Shield logo on his lapel which immediately makes him distrustful, but at the same time... its Joey... he wants to trust him.

'Joey..umm Hi...' Eric says nervously...  
'Hi...' Joey responds...

'They're waiting for us...' Joey says cautiously

Eric suddenly remembers that in order to facilitate his accommodation at the base, Joey agreed to 'feed' Eric under supervision of Fitz-Simmons, in order to see if an artificial food source could be made.

'Do we have to... I mean... it will be weird... with them all watching...' says Eric trying to back out  
'Come on we are grown men... and besides... its a condition of you staying...' says Joey  
'Shield can't just let you go out into the world and feed on random strangers, you would get exposed eventually... this is the best compromise...'  
'Besides... thought you were done running...' retorts Joey, trying to lift Erics spirits... 

'Hold on...' Eric says, with a frown and rolling his eyes...  
Eric re-enters his quarters and puts a pair of sneakers on, while he does so... Joey steps into the doorway to see the inside of Erics Quarters  
'Think yours are slightly bigger than mine... ' Joey jokes, knowing that they are identical...  
'Its rather dark though...' Joey points out

'I can er... you know...' Eric points out.  
'Ah... yes, see in the dark... forgot about that...' Joey remembers

Joey notices that the quarters are very dark and depressing - it looks like Eric hasnt made any attempt to personalize the quarters. Joey fears that Eric might be depressed and withdrawn.

'Right... lets get this over with... lead the way...' Eric says coldly..

Eric closes the doors to his quarters and both Men walk down the hall towards the Medical wing..  
===============================================

They arrive at the medical wing expecting half of Shield to be present when they enter the med-lab they find Simmons preparing a medical bed...

'Ah... just in time...' she says in a nervous perky voice.

'No Fitz?' asks Joey

'No.. he's working on making an upgrade to the Quinn Jet...'  
'If... you want... I can get him... I mean... do you want a Male doctor...' - she says nervously (she realizes she doesn't know if this entails private parts or not)

'Er... no.. thats fine, its nothing like that...' Eric says...  
Erics face lights up with a cheeky smile as he suddenly realizes what Simmons was thinking...  
'Oh my God...' he whispers to himself...

'So... before we do start, I'd like to hear more about the process of how you feed...'  
'Anything you can tell me about the biochemistry of it would be very interesting and invaluable to our research...'

'Research?' asks Eric.

'Oh... I thought Coulson explained that we would be conducting some non-invasive tests to just find out more about you... he did say didn't he...' - she says nervously...

'Yeah, I guess... I just don't like hearing it called research... sounds weird... like im going to be experimented on...'

'Oh don't worry, you wont feel a thing...' Simmons tries to encourage him

'So... the feeding process... the last time we saw you feed was in the Containment Module... just before you 'Whoooosheed' away...'

'What sort of side effects did you have afterwards' she turns to Joey...

'Well... I er... felt bit dizzy and then woke up a day later...' Joey says nervously...  
Joey doesn't want to lie to Simmons, but at the same time doesn't want to make it sound like the Feeding process is particularly rough.

'Just felt like a bad hang-over the next day...'

'Oooh you poor thing, I remember doing Tequilla at this bar in Washington once, and the next day my head was thumping...' Simmons starts to talk nonsense

'...but I felt fine after I got a greasy breakfast the next day...' - Joey interjects...

'... the cure to any hang-over...' - Simmons laughs..  
'Hmmm, that is interesting... did you just feel tired the next day or was there nausea, vomiting, headache...'

'..ummm it was mostly just tiredness, felt bit dizzy and just didn't wanna get out of bed...' - Joey.

'Oh.. you were in bed?... I didn't reali...' Simmons starts... assuming that they both slept together...

'NO!' - Eric and Joey both exclaim...  
'I took the sofa...' - says Eric

'Oh my God'... Joey and Eric - sighing to each-other...

'Right... well... lets get you both hooked up...' - Simmons says, realizing she just made the atmosphere extra tense...

Eric unbuttons his shirt to let Simmons attach the sensors to his chest. They weren't the typical heart sensor type ones, these were instead large black pads that were about the size of a hand.  
Eric almost completely ignores Simmons as he looks across the room at Joey who is looking back. A sort of half smile forms on both their faces as they realize how awkward Simmons just made it...  
Its the first smile of the day that Eric has had and he suddenly realizes it himself.

'Just one here, and two here... oh and if you can wear this too...' Simmons says, as handing him a large helmet shaped device with many wires coming out of it.

'Whats this for?' Eric says  
'Am I learning to ride a motorcycle?...' He jokes.

'Oh.. course not... this just measures Brain Activity during the feeding process...'

She finishes setting up Eric, who had to remove his shirt to make room for the electrodes and wires...  
He isn't particularly that self conscious of his body, he has a nice body and he knows it, but he's just never been in the situation where he was showing it to people in a non-intimate situation.  
Usually, when he is showing off his body, its to score a snack.

He sits on the side of the bed, crossing his arms as best he could with the wires hanging down from around him.

'You look ridiculous...' Joey laughs, as he is getting hooked up to similar sensors...

Eric looks up, and suddenly feels the weight of the Helmet on his head, The weight of the Helmet makes every subtle movement feel sluggish and unbalanced...

'Really... your going to laugh at me in my moment of need...' Eric says only half sarcastically while he rolls his eyes upwards looking at the ceiling.

'Sorry, we haven't had a chance to make these sensors more fashionable...' - Simmons to the two of them...

'There... ready...' Simmons says ready for the show..

'Kay... so... where do you want us?' - Joey, as he claps his hand looking to get the show on the road.

'Well... I will go into the observation room, and monitor the data...' Simmons, as she leaves the room.

'So... are you ready...' Joey says kinda bricking it...

'Are you sure you want to do this... I mean... you don't have to...' Eric says, realizing that this must seem like an assignment or a chore to Joey.

'If I don't do this, then who will...' responds Joey..  
'Besides... if memory serves, it wasn't half bad from where I was last time...' jokes Joey

'.. are you scared...' asks Eric

'No..' says Joey, smiling at Eric  
'I know you wouldn't hurt me...' says Joey

Joey steps closer to Eric, the cables and wires attached to their bodies touching and clattering.

'I'm ready if you are...' Joey says as he looks at Eric's eyes, then down to his lips and back to his Eyes

'Ok... if you want me to stop, just squeeze my hand...' Eric says hesitantly

Eric takes Joey's hand and moves his face towards Joey's, he opens his mouth and brings it close to Joey's...  
Joey half expecting a kiss, this time is surprised to feel a sensation of air being taken out his lungs...  
It was a different sensation than before and it didn't quite agree with him...

'Woooah... what was that...' exclaimed Joey 'I just thought...' reassuring Eric

'Guys im not registering any energy transfer, did something go wrong?...' - Simmons from the other room.

'I didn't want to feed on you...' - Eric says as he sits down on the table

'...why not?' says Joey, suddenly feeling inadequate...

'No.. not like that... I do want to feed on you... I just, shouldn't 'have' to...' -Eric, not finding the right words.  
'Not sure I follow...' Joey still puzzled...

'..this was a mistake...' says Eric, getting up off the table...  
'... not so fast..' Joey, as he pushes him back down on the table with one hand.

Eric looking at Joey suddenly realizing that he's not getting out of this situation without an explanation...

'I don't want you feeding me, cause you've been ordered to do so...' says Eric

'... you think im here because Coulson ordered me?!' - Joey says puzzled...

'Arent you?' - says Eric, hoping for an answer to the contrary.

'I volunteered because you need someone, and I did it before and it doesn't bother me...' says Joey  
'How charitable...' laughs Eric

'Oh shut up...' says Joey as he moves closer to Eric He takes his hand and places it on Eric's cheek and moves in closer for a kiss.

Eric reciprocates and the two share a kiss.  
Simmons in the next room thinking that this is the feeding process starting is examining the data, still puzzled why nothing is registering yet...

'Guys there might be something wrong with the sensors...' - Simmons from the observation room

The two finish their kiss, looking to the observation room one way glass, then back at each other...  
'What was that...' Eric asks.  
'That was what makes this worth while...' Joey says with a smile on his face.

'Free kisses... gotcha...' Eric says smiling...

'I guess we shouldn't let Simmons down... shes expecting a show...' Eric says, finally agreeing to do it...

'its about time... I was thinking I'd ...' Joey tries to respond.. interrupted as Eric lands another kiss on him.

As the two kiss, the sensors in the Observation room start to register physiological data.  
Simmons starts paying attention to the data, as a purple light shines in through the one way glass.  
She lifts her gaze to the source of the purple light...

As the purple light fades, Eric and Joey in the next room, finish their kiss...

'I'm not unconscious...' Joey, says a little shocked...  
'I wasn't that hungry this time...' Eric responds...

'Woah...' Joey says, balancing himself on the table with his hand.  
'You should probably sit down for a second... ' says Eric, as he helps him sit down on the table.

'Guys... the data we got was very interesting, can we do that again...' - Simmons says, focusing on the data that she collected.

Joey raises his eyebrows in disbelief, doesn't she realize he just got his life sucked out of him.  
'It be best if we wait a few days for Joey...to...' Eric responds smiling at her request...

'Oh of course... I forgot...  
How do you feel Joey... any discomfort?' - Simmons suddenly focusing on Joey

'Umm, yeah, I feel fine, little dizzy - kinda feels like after sitting down for too long and then getting up fast... kinda like Vertigo...' - Joey trying to explain it as best he can.  
'I was expecting to be out cold for a day though... so... guess its all good.' - Joey smiling at Eric.

'OK guys, feel free to get Dressed...'  
'I will collect some blood samples from you both before you go and that's us for today... same time 4 days from now then?' - Simmons wrapping up...

'Cant wait...' Eric, smiling to Joey

 **Nictus Blues**

In the Directors office, Mack and Coulson are having a heated discussion over Eric

'Sir, I have to object, your putting the security of everyone on this base in danger by having him here...' - Mack  
'Where would you put hims then Mack' - Coulson, knowing there is no other answer that doesn't result in Erics death.

'We let him go, hes survived for 700 years on Earth he can survive another 700...' Mack, knowing how ridiculous what he just said was.

'He didn't have Hydra after him for those 700 years...' Coulson 'Its simple... if we don't have him on our side, then Hydra will happily turn him into a weapon...' - Coulson

'I'm sorry Sir, but isn't that what your proposing we do?' - Mack

Coulson now visibly annoyed...

'Mack I put you in charge of Alien Artefacts, that does not give you a say in personnel...' - Coulson  
'Live with it...' - Coulson, ending the conversation

Joey and Eric now in the breakout area both eating a late breakfast bacon bap.  
Daisy, Lincoln and Fitz enter...

'Hey guys...' Daisy, as she walks over with Lincoln

Fitz observes from another table.

'Hi guys...' - Joey says awkwardly.  
Everyone knows that there is a bit of a romance between Joey and Eric, but no one has really been brave enough to say it out loud yet.

'If your wondering where Simmons is, she having a field-day with the data she got this morning...' - Daisy to Joey and Eric

'Yeah... she was walking down the hallway with her face buried in printouts of data while trying to eat a 'Scone'' - Daisy doing an English accent impression for the word 'Scone'.  
'Don't think she even noticed me when she passed me in the hall...'

Eric suddenly feeling responsible for being center of attention cant help but feel like its 'his fault'.

'Sorry about that...' -Eric says apologetically, barely lifting his face to meet Daisy's

'What are you sorry for, Simmons lives for this sort of thing...' - Daisy tries to lighten his mood.

Eric takes a big breath and exhales... not knowing what to say next.

Lincoln noticing how withdrawn Eric is from people suddenly starts paying attention to his body language while Daisy is speaking to the two He observes how Eric looks to Joey for reassurance, how Eric barely makes eye contact and much of his gaze is on the wall or floor.

'If you guys wanna come down for movie night, we are getting some action movies in tonight...' - Daisy, extending the invite to the two men.

'Thanks Daisy' - Joey Eric just smiles at Daisy as the conversation ends. Eric not knowing if the invite was meant for him or not, even though he was obviously included.

Daisy and Lincoln out in the hall

'Daisy, I think he's depressed...' - Lincoln to Daisy.  
'Joey? Don't be silly, he and Eric are all loved up...' Daisy responds...

'No.. I mean Eric... he's withdrawn, barely talks and doesn't engage...' - Lincoln 'Well I mean, I can sort of understand, he's just in a new environment... It will take some time to adjust...' - Daisy.

'I've seen people who are depressed or develop PTSD as result of Transition, this guy has all the signs...' 'You saw how he reacted to that Asgardian... that was clearly some 700 year old pent up PTSD...'  
'You put him in a hostile situation, you don't know how he will react...'

Daisy remembers back to the video feed of Elliot Randolph and Eric talking face to face.  
Elliot is the most unimpressive Asgardian to ever exist, and just the sheer mention that he was Asgardian sent Eric into a panic.

'Alright... I admit, he did react badly...' Daisy agrees

'React Badly?...thats an understatement...' Lincoln  
'He is gonna need therapy, it could be years before hes ready for any field work...'

'Joey handled himself pretty well during the mission... I'm sure Eric will be fine when he gets his chance...' Daisy tries to be the voice of reason.

'He could get someone killed...' exclaims Lincoln

Back in the Medlab - Lincoln, Daisy and Simmons are talking about Eric Fitz walks in and joins the conversation...

'...If Dr Garner was still here, I would recommend he have a session with Eric... but...' - Simmons '...hes off killing Inhumans as Lash...' Linoln says coldly.

'Gemma.. I know its a big ask, but could you try and work a Psych-Eval into the regime for Eric...' - Daisy asks.

'I will try my best, but what if he finds out...' - Simmons asks unsure..  
'...Technically he would need a Psych-Eval before he can be cleared for any field duty anyway...' Fitz joins in...

'Of course...' - Simmons realising it shouldnt be a problem.

Daisy and Lincoln leave the Med-Lab, leaving Fitz and Simmons..

Since the Operation in England, they haven't had much chance to talk about what happened on Maveth with Will.  
The excitement of Eric's arrival and the operation in France kinda meant there was no chance for them to talk.

'Gemma, there hasn't been a chance for me to... ummm... talk about what happened on Maveth...' - Fitz starts  
'No don't be silly, I understand, I read the debrief... ' - Simmons avoiding eye contact

'I really wish I could have bought him back...' - Fitz says regretfully.  
'...Im glad you didn't... we don't need another super monster running around...' - Simmons trying to stay upbeat...

'Thats not what I meant... Will... he...'

Simmons interrupts...  
'Will died moments after I escaped from that planet, there was nothing either of us could have done...'

Simmons keeps her back turned to Fitz, pretending that she is busy.

Fitz leaves...

 **Im me but so is he...**

'So you melted a hole in your Apartment?' - Eric to Joey

'I couldn't control my powers, anything I looked at or got scared around... If it was metal it just melted...' Joey explained.

Remembering back to what he saw in France, the frying pan and the bullets he was able to melt in mid air...

'You seem to have got a handle on it pretty quick' - Eric complimenting Joey

'At first I saw it as a disease or infection... I was just waiting for it to go away, but it never was...  
Daisy and Mac told me that basically... I am never going to be able to go back to my old life... my apartment.. See my parents...  
Heck.. even my ex...'

'I actually saw my ex on the news telling the world that he 'had no idea I was an alien...'' - Joey to eric

'Ouch...' - Eric to joey

'The A.T.C.U. interviewed my family, but of course I couldn't get in touch with them myself.  
Ended up having to record a message for them while Shield delivered it to them...'

'Sorry Mom... I'm something called an 'Inhuman' I inherited it from either you or dad...  
I have super powers that let me melt metal...'

'No idea how she took it...' - Joey trying to be cavalier about it, but it obviously still bothers him.

'For me it was kinda... well... totally different...' - Eric starts 'I mean, im not an Inhuman, I've always had powers... but I remember when I merged with this body...'

'Wait a sec, I keep meaning to ask...' Joey interrupts...  
'You say 'I' as in you are the Nictus, but does that mean you are controlling someone else's body?'

'Its more involved than that...' Eric tries to explain

'At first, our personalities are completely different - the Nictus has its own personality, and the Host has their own...  
The host is more a less in control of the body... but the Nictus personality is able to communicate with the Host...  
Its like sharing feelings and thoughts...

For the first few years I could actually see myself and talk to myself...'

'You could see yourself...' - Joey asks...

'Yeah, clear as day... the Nictus took on the form of me, and would walk around talking to me...

'What would he say to you?' - Joey asks...

'Well.. at first, I thought... DEMON!'  
'It was like 12th century Norway... so seeing things was never a good sign... and mental health wasn't an exact science back then...'

'but...He never lied to me...'  
I mean obviously merging was beneficial to us both... I had actually taken a sword through the Gut... so I would be dead if he hadn't found me...'

'There you go again...' you switch from 'him', 'me', 'I' - when referring to the Nictus and your body. Joey states , still confused...

'Its really complicated to explain...  
But in a nutshell...  
It started out that there was 2 of us in this body, and now neither of those people are here...  
We merged over the years into a new person...' - Eric tries his best to explain...

'Its not like someone died, its more like we just became more like each other...'  
'You only see the Nictus walking and talking to you in your mind, if your still going through the Merge...  
It means your personalities are still separate...'

'Now... we are one person...'  
'The Nictus inside me has the name Azazeel, but on Earth we agreed to use my name... Eric...'

'I'm glad ...' - Joey  
'Azazeel doesn't exactly roll off the tongue easily...'

Eric Smiles...  
'Well.. its not a human name...'

'So... yeah...  
For the first few years I used to see this ghostly image of me and he used to advise me...' - Eric  
'Taught me how to use my powers, how to feed without killing...'

'I remember back then, the world was huge...  
Suddenly being able to teleport anywhere on the planet... it became lot smaller...' Eric says with a sad look on his face...

'Well... that's alight surely...' - Joey  
'I'd take teleporting over _Metal bending_ any day...' Joey suddenly realizing he used the 'Metal Bending' term...

'Ha... I knew it... you watch ' _Avatar_ ' - Eric catches Joey in his slip...

'Wait... I never said I watched it... I am just... aware of what _Metal Bending_ is...' - Joey tries to laugh it off

Coulson enters the room with Fitz and walks towards Joey and Eric.

'Hate to interrupt...' - Coulson 'We need to proceed with the indexing process...'

Eric knew they would be asking questions about his abilities but didn't realize that it was going to be so soon...

'Umm.. sure...' Eric says hesitantly...  
'Now?' - he asks

'No time like the present...' Coulson says with a optimistic voice.

Eric and Joey start to get up...

'Not you Agent Gutierrez, just Eric at the moment...'

Eric looks back to Joey and swallows, feeling immediately uneasy...

'I will catch you later...' Joey to Eric..

 **You can effectively fly?**

Coulson, Fitz and Eric are now in the Directors office and they are about to start indexing Eric  
So far they haven't insisted on hooking him up to any devices or anything... so it seems to be going alright..

'Just need to make a new entry...' Fitz murmers to himself as he types into the computer...

'So Eric...  
Is there a last name?' - Coulson

'These days I just use Smith...' - Eric

'Back in Norway 700 years ago the family names were bit weird...'

Coulson suddenly realizing that Asgardians have a weird naming system too.

'Yeah, I know what you mean...  
The Asgardians I have met all called me 'Son of Cole'... I never got that for a long time...

When Coulson mentions Asgardians...  
Eric sits up in his chair...

'Don't worry, there are no Asgardians here and I still maintain my promise. Your under our protection...' - Coulson

'Sir.. we are ready...' - Fitz

'Ok... so for the purposes of the Indexing, I guess we can start with your name..

Eric Smith...' - Coulson

'Any other names...?'

'Well.. My Nictus half goes by Azazeel...' - Eric Eric kinda sighs and smiles a bit...

'Something funny?' - Coulson

'No.. its not that, its just that I spent the last 30 minutes trying to explain this to Joey... I kinda wish I recorded it now... ' - Eric

'How far back do you need me to go? I mean... we are technically over a thousand years old...' - Eric

'Lets start with the events that bought you to Earth...' - Coulson

'Well... as I said... I was imprisoned by Asgardians, due to be executed...  
An Asgardian took pity, and let me stow away in a Shadow Cyst...

'What are Shadow Cysts...' Coulson asks

'They are crystals that look like Dark purple or black quartz. But they aren't formed from the ground... they are formed from dead condensed Nictus remains...' - Eric says, in an unhappy tone..

'Shadow Cysts were never used lightly... they were really only used I guess as what you could call a 'Life Raft' or as a means of Stasis...' - Eric.

'To use a Shadow Cyst, its a big sacrifice... you basically have to kill your host body and bond your Essence to the Crystal...' - Eric reaffirms...  
'I didn't think we used them that much... but I guess my Ancestors used them lots of Colonization.'

'Colonization? So your kind existed on other planets?' - Coulson asks.

'Yeah... but I guess that's why the Asgardians wiped us out...' -Eric says coldly.  
'We obviously tried to Colonize the wrong planet... I mean, I can understand...' Eric starts... then stops...

'Understand?' Coulson asks...

'Back then, the Nictus race were not like me...'  
'They would arrive on a world and immediately bond with local life forms..  
'They would then feed on the ones they haven't bonded with...'

'So the bonding process doesn't have to be voluntary...' - Coulson asks.

'No... but...' Eric tries to respond

Suddenly sensing that Coulson might be implying that he forcibly took the body he is in...

'This body was Dying... the Nictus offered to heal my wounds if he could share my body...'  
'He did not force his way inside and take me over...'

'So how does that work...' - Coulson

'Its complicated...' - Eric

'Uncomplicated it...' Coulson

'...' Eric Sighs...

'Lets imagine you have two very different personalities...  
'You have them both in the same body, over time they influence each other, and merge...  
Over time... neither one of them can be differentiated from the other...'

'Ha.. its kinda like mixing paint...  
'Mix Red and Blue paint... and after enough stirring, its purple...' - Eric suddenly realises that the paint mixing analogy might be easier to swallow.

'So did you at any point control your host...' - Coulson asks firmly.

'Your not listening... its not like the Nictus was able to directly control me...'  
'Its like I could hear him talking to me, and after years of listening - we started thinking the same...'  
'Then after that... I don't even notice him anymore... its just me... we are one...'

'Interesting...' Coulson as he writes something on a sheet of paper.  
Eric somewhat nervous, tries to crane his neck to see the paper... before straightening up again when Coulsons gaze rises again..

'So.. your powers...' - Coulson asks.

'Finally.. an easy question...' - Eric sighs... as he reaches for a sip of water...

'Well...  
As a Kheldian... our essence is pure energy... that gives us several energy based abilities..  
But... because generations ago, we changed into Nictus... our energy based abilities also changed to be I guess.. 'Negative Energy'.

'Can you clarify Negative Energy...' Fitz interrupts...

Eric had forgotten Fitz was there recording the data in the index.

'I guess... the best way to think of it is that Kheldians were pure energy, and we became the opposite of them...  
Like two energy waves that were equal in strength, but the Nictus energy was opposite, and harmful to Kheldians... Our Negative energy, saps the strength of energy. - Eric not really understanding it himself..

'How did the Nictus alter themselves to achieve the transformation into 'Nictus'?' - Coulson

'I honestly don't know... the Divide happened generations before I was born...' - Eric tries to explain  
'All I know is that it involved using Science and Experimentation with large devices...'

'So this negative energy, what is it capable of achieving? ' Coulson asks

'Well... it can affect space to a degree...  
With enough focus, I can open short lived portals to other locations...  
Thats how I can teleport..' Eric elaborates.

'Nictus can also use the Negative Energy as a weapon...' - Eric explains  
'The Asgardians used to use energy shields, and our Negative energy was able to penetrate those shields...'  
'Thats probably why they saw us as such a huge threat...' Eric says solemnly

Eric takes a breath, and tries to focus on the defensive aspects of his abilities...

'Im able to generate protective fields around myself using the negative energy...'  
'I can use it to sap the kinetic energy of physical blows, sap thermal energy from fire or heat sources, as well as reduce the effect of energy based weapons...'

'So you are pretty much indestructible...' Coulson laughs...

'Far from it... I can reduce the impact that bullets might have on me... but they will still leave a bruise...  
'While Fire doesn't burn my skin, its not the most pleasant experience...'

'And what was that thing you transformed into in France...' - Coulsons interest piques

'Ah...  
Well... as an energy based life form... I kinda retain memory of some of the physical forms that my ancestors had as hosts...  
Im able to transform into those forms...'

'So you can shapeshift!' - Coulson says shocked...

'No... not really...  
Its not like I can say, 'I wana look like Lincoln', so tomorrow I will look like Lincoln...  
I can transform only into the form of the species, not an exact replica of a specific member of the species...'

'The one I did in France was called a Dwarf form...'

'Im sorry, but according to the reports I got, that thing was anything but a Dwarf...' - Coulson commenting on the size of the beast.

'It wasn't called Dwarf because it was small...  
That species used to exist on the surface of Dwarf Type stars...  
They evolved very dense armor, resistance to pressure and well... they are great for scaring the hell out of the bad guys...'

'The other form I can transform into is...' - Eric stops... and rolls his eyes...

'Is there a problem?' Coulson asks

'Well.. this form isn't called Nova...because it lived in a Nova...  
To be honest, im not sure why we used to call it Nova form... this species used to live inside certain types of Nebulae.'

'Imagine a space born squid that could shoot energy blasts at 20 people at once...'  
'They aren't the most resilient in combat, but they could fly pretty fast and attack from the air...'

'So you can effectively fly...' - Coulson starting to lose count of how many powers Eric has.

'Yeah... Kinda...' - Eric says... sensing that both Fitz and Coulson are in a state of shock and awe...

'Is there a problem?' - Eric asks Coulson...

'No... not at all...' Coulson tries to hide his reaction...

'...Well.. actually sir...' - Fitz interrupts..

'What is it Fitz...' - Coulson

'The input form for Powers... it wasn't designed to handle this many... I kinda ran out of room at flying...' - Fitz  
'I could record the rest on pen and paper if you want?' - Fitz holding a pen and notepad...

'Is there much more 'power-wise' you would like to tell us...' - Coulson to Eric...

'Ummm, no... I guess that's most of it...' - Eric says hesitantly knowing that there are a few other abilities he can do...

'Thank God...' - Fitz can be heard muttering as he clicks Save on the input form...

'We have taken blood samples from when you were in the infirmary and we have your fingerprints -  
All that remains is for you to make the declaration that you agree to abide by the following rules...

'You must not use your abilities for any criminal or immoral or unjust purpose that may result in the injury or detriment to the people of the united states.'  
'You will register any change in your abilities with myself or another shield official if anything changes or evolves...'  
'If you do train to join Shield, your abilities can and may be called upon to be used for tactical purposes...'  
...

'Do you agree to the above...  
Coulson hands a pen to Eric, and asks him to sign a piece of paper.  
Eric had been expecting it to be bit harder... back when he was focused on describing how he bonded with his Human body Coulson was looking at him like he was a body snatcher...  
Now he was asking Eric to sign a piece of paper that would seemingly make everything 'OK'...

'Ok...' Eric says hesitantly...

Eric Signs it as Eric Smith...

Eric's on his way out of the Directors office He feels like hes just aired all his dirty laundry and there is nothing weighing him down Checking the clock on the way out, he realises hes been in the meeting for over an hour and half.

He doesn't quite know what hes meant to do now...  
No one has told him if hes meant to be training or researching or being examined...  
He starts walking back to his quarters to wait out the day

===================================================================

Coulson, May, Mack, Fitz and Daisy are all in the directors office discussing Eric.  
Coulson is somewhat excited to have someone of Eric's abilities on the team, but May and Mack are worried that someone with that amount of power cannot be controlled or trusted to take orders...  
Fitz is excited because he wants to better understand how Erics abilities work, and Daisy is more worried about what Lincoln had said previous about how Eric might be a broken man.

'This is huge... Shield has never had an asset of this value in its possession before...' - Coulson 'This is more Avengers level asset than Shield... but he would never agree to work with Thor...'

'Coulson are you sure your making the right call here... How can we control him if he turns out like Ward...' - May

'Mays right... hes not human, and he has no loyalties to Shield...' - Mack to Coulson

'Fitz, you were there in the indexing... what do you make of his abilities...' - Coulson to Fitz

'I guess I understand how they work... The whole energy based life form thing is new though. If you think about it, its not that different from how an Inhuman works...' Fitz inadvertintly pointing to Daisy...

'No offence...' Fitz to Daisy

'I mean... Daisy can generate seismic events because her physiology is configured to allow her to do so...  
'Eric's physiology is just energy based and instead of projecting vibrations, he can project and consume energy, or at least something like Energy...'

'Lincoln's probably a better analogy... he shoots electricity...another type of energy' - Fitz trying to find an appropriate analogy...

Daisy then begins to speak...  
'Has anyone thought again about how he reacted when he saw Elliot in the containment module...  
'Lincoln has this wild idea... that Eric might have PTSD from 700 years ago... there I said it...'

Mack and May suddenly go silent.  
'It wouldn't be hard to imagine, given what he described happening to his people at the hands of the Asgardians...' - Coulson

'He said himself, that they were the aggressor race...' - Mack

'Its never that black and white... even if his race was at fault... he saw them all being wiped out...hes the last of his kind...' - Daisy

'That we know of...' - May

'If he has PTSD, can we give him therapy or something?' - Daisy, asking about treatment options...

'PTSD can take years to get over... I know good people who survived the Battle of New York, who still have nightmares.  
Every time they hear a loud noise, they think they are under attack again...' - Mack

'Simmons can assess his condition, in the mean time I want to see what his abilities are capable of...  
'Daisy, try to integrate him with your team in the interim, at least for training exercises...' - Coulson to Daisy

'Will do...' Daisy 

**Will this day ever be over...**

Eric is back in his quarters... once again just lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling..  
Hes imagining all the ways he thought today was going to go, and then how it turned out not too bad.

He looks over at the clock.. its only 4pm The day has been very uneventful.

'Hurry up and be over already...' Eric whispers to himself...

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Not knowing who it is, he decides to answer the door this time, instead of telling them to go away as he did that morning..

Opening the door, its Joey..

'Can I come in?'

'Sure...' Eric says puzzled...

'Are you ok?' Eric asks, worried that maybe hes feeling bad after this morning in the Med Lab.

'Am I ok? I was gonna ask the same of you...' - Joey to Eric.

'Why wouldn't I be ok... I mean, you fed me this morning...' - Eric says as humbly as that can sound

'Then why are you locking yourself up in here...' Joey exclaims...  
'I get that neither of us have an active mission or training at the moment... but...' - Joey says frustrated...

'I... I dunno what im meant to do...' Eric says to Joey

'What does that even mean...' Joey

'I mean... your the only person here who's my friend, everyone else looks at me like...'

'Like what...?' - Joey

'Like I'm an Alien invader, a threat they cannot control...' - Eric starts to unburden himself

'They're right... I am an alien, I did come to earth a long time ago uninvited and I used to be alright with being alone...' - Eric

'No you werent...' -Joey interrupts

'What...? ' Eric to Joey

'You can pretend to have been alright being on your own if you want, but I wont believe it... I know the reason you stayed..'

'You do?..' Eric turns his back to Joey and faces the empty dark of his room

'You wanted a family, somewhere to belong...'  
'You wanted to stop running... you said as much !'  
'You wanted...' Joey starts

'I wanted you!' - Eric exclaims...

Joey stops he knew how both of them felt all along, but up until now they hadn't really talked about it...

'I'm not an agent, im not a warrior... heck... 700 years ago, I found the pointy end of a sword, that proves it...  
'I'm not a super hero...  
'I'm just an intergalactic refugee... who fell for the super hero...'

'Coulson's choices of 'Life, Death or Death by Hydra... I took the Life option kinda because I had a crush on you...'  
'I realised how naive that was almost as soon as I agreed to stay.'

I feel like I agreed to do a Job I'm not qualified for...  
and I only applied for that Job because I liked one of the guys in the company...

'Eric, were you listening at all this morning...' - Joey to Eric  
'I didn't sign up to be an agent either, I had these powers forced on me...  
'I don't particularly want to be going out and fighting Hydra or ATCU or whatever HellBeasts may come next...  
'But I have faith that Daisy and Lincoln have my back and that together we can beat anything that comes our way...'

'Joey, they like you...  
I think some of them outright hate me...'  
'I dunno what I'm meant to do...' - Eric says sadly

Joey crosses the room to Eric and places a hand on his shoulder to turn him around...  
Joey kisses Eric

Joey and Eric embrace for a few moments during the kiss.

Joey pushes Eric off him momentarily...

'We go to Movie Night - that's what we do..' - Joey says smiling...

Eric smiles gently...  
'You definitely kissed me that time...' Eric to Joey...

Joey smiles...  
'Go get a shower and get changed into something less ' _I've been lying in bed all day_ '...  
I will be back in 20 and we can go around together.

'Ok... see you in 20..' Eric says upbeat to Joey


End file.
